(1) Field of the Invention
This invention relates to electrical connectors; and, more particularly, to a terminal block which removably secures various connections.
(2) Prior Art
Automobiles typically have a fuse terminal block which is mounted adjacent the instrument panel or forward fire wall to provide a means for securing fuses and for providing connections to various electrical components of an automobile such as headlights, horns, power seats, power windows and numerous other electrical options which can be customer selected on automobiles.
It is particularly desirable that the fuses can be rapidly and securely connected to the terminal block. Advantageously the system should be completely "fool proof" to satisfy the needs of rapid and simple mass production of automobiles as well as facilitating repair of any faults in the terminal block or replacement of fuses. Because of the desire of either the assembler or the repairer to use "short cuts" or to otherwise complete the job as quickly as possible without adequate assurance of quality of the completed apparatus, designing a secure entry of the fuse into the terminal block has presented problems.
For example, in one known system shown in FIG. 3 of U.S. Pat. No. 4,097,109, the fuse holder is inserted into a cavity in the terminal block and the tops of the two prongs of the spring clips of the fuse holder extend above the opening edge of the cavity. The tops of the prongs appear semicircular and the edge of the cavity is sufficiently spaced from each prong so that a blade contact from a fuse could easily be inserted between the wall of the cavity and the spring clip. Such an insertion is undesirable because the blade contact is not as securely held in place as it would be were the blade correctly positioned between the two prongs of the spring clip. This is a very difficult fault to detect because an electrical connection is made and the fuse operates in an apparently normal fashion. However, when the automobile is driven and the terminal block is exposed to vibrations, such fuses have a much greater possiblity of causing problems. For example, there may be an intermittent contact, which is particularly difficult to isolate. The fuse may fall out and break the contact thus making inoperable an electrical system within the motor vehicle. Such an inoperative electrical system will at least cause customer dissatisfaction and may present a safety hazard. Still further, the fuse is substantially held in the terminal block by only the friction between the blade contacts and the prongs. Thus, the force holding the fuse in is limited by the common area between the blade contacts and the prongs. These are some of the problems this invention overcomes.